When a new client walked into Twins Hair and Nail Salon in Bogue Chitto, Miss., nail tech Linda Haralson took one look at the woman’s nails and knew she had a challenge ahead of her.

“This woman had been pulling her nails off — not biting, mind you, but actually pulling them off,” says Haralson. “I let her know that I could help but she would have to help me too.” Haralson let the client know that first and foremost, the pulling would have to stop and that it was vital that she take care of her nails at home. “I told her that it would take a while to achieve what we both wanted,” Haralson says. “And I told her I could not promise her that the nail would attach to the bed, but I would do my best.”

Haralson first performed a dry manicure after checking to make sure the client had no open cuts. She then prepped and sculpted the nails with Young Nails acrylic and polished them with OPI gel-polish, keeping them short. As the nails grew out over the course of about five months (12 appointments), Haralson switched to CND hard gel with OPI gel-polish. “All but two nails attached to the bed,” says Haralson. “I have asked her to see a doctor for this, but otherwise, we are very happy with the results. She is so happy that I didn’t turn her away, and that I was willing to try. She loves her nails!”